Reservation Parties

The reservation holder must check in prior to official draw time and present a valid photo I.D. (unless they are under 16 years of age) to verify Missouri residency. Staff will confirm your reservation by referring to the reservation holder list and check off your name to ensure arrival prior to “official draw time”.

Reservation holders must also have the proper permits prior to drawing.

Reservations will not be honored if the reservation holder has not checked in by official draw time.

During the check-in procedure, the reservation holder will give the completed Waterfowl Hunting Tags and required hunting permits and stamps for each member of their party to the employee conducting the drawing. The reservation holder will then be allowed to draw one “pill” from the box that contains the number of pills equal to the number of water hunting locations available (Example: if 27 locations are available, pills 1–27 will be used).

Reservation holders may elect to forfeit their reservation, sign the waiting list sign-up sheet and draw in the “poor line”. A reservation holder may NOT draw in the Reservation drawing, forfeit the pill, then sign the waiting list and draw in the poor line.

NOTE: It is possible for a reservation holder to be on time and check in prior to official draw time, but not have enough time to draw a pill by official draw time. In this case, the reservation holder will be allowed to draw a pill after the official draw time (only if checked in on time), but prior to the morning talk and poor-line drawing.

Waiting List Parties in the “Poor Line”

One member from each party drawing in the poor line must sign the waiting list sign-in sheet prior to official draw time. The member that plans to draw must collect the Waterfowl Hunting Tags (filled out completely), required stamps, and licenses for each member in the party prior to coming to the window to draw.

The maximum party size is four hunters, and each hunting party member must be properly licensed.

Non-hunting, unlicensed observers may NOT participate in the drawing. However, up to three observers may be included as part of a four person party (as long as the party member that is drawing is properly licensed). All observers and hunting, or non-hunting youth count toward the maximum party size of four.

Drawing Procedure

Prior to official draw time, Area Staff will ask if one member from each party has signed the waiting list sign-in sheet (excluding Reservation Holders) and double check to see if all of the reservation holders that are present have checked in. At official draw time, staff will announce “registration is officially closed” and take the waiting list sign-in sheet behind the counter. At this time, the morning speech will begin, and no additional names will be added to the waiting list. Parties not signed up on the waiting list will not be allowed to draw.

Area Staff will then count the number of signatures on the sign-in sheet (Example: 40 signatures = 40 parties) to determine the number of pills to add to the box.

The number added will equal the number of signatures on the waiting list sign-in sheet (in this example, 40) plus the number of reservation holders present (in this example, 10), plus 3 (to allow for error), minus the number of pills originally placed in the box (in this example, 27). Staff will add the appropriate number of pills—no more, no less—to the box (Example: 40 + 10 + 3 – 27 = add 26 pills). If there is enough room, Area Staff will require that all poor line party members be present at the window to draw a pill.

For a party member running late, a completed Waterfowl Hunting Tag must be submitted for that member when the party draws a pill. Area Staff need to be notified of this situation prior to drawing.

After everyone has drawn, Area Staff will announce a “last call to draw.” Once everyone has drawn, Staff will announce the “draw is officially closed.”

A party can request to get their permits back immediately after they have drawn a pill if the party wishes to forfeit their chance to choose a pool for that day. If a party chooses to forfeit their pill and have their permits returned, no member of that party may draw a second time or be added to another party. All other permits will ONLY be returned once the respective party members’ number is called.

Post-Draw Allocation of Hunting Locations

Beginning with the lowest number first, area staff will proceed to issue hunting locations by calling forward the party with the lowest number drawn and allow them to pick a hunting location. This process continues until all parties have selected a hunting location OR until all hunting locations are allocated for that day.

All members of the party must be present in the room prior to receiving stamped waterfowl hunting tags and leaving to hunt (this is not required when drawing a pill or when choosing pool location in order to help on crowding issues, accommodate members of the parties who were running late, or allow some party members to stay outside to watch/protect gear from theft).

For party members running late, staff will detain present party members and keep their permits and tags until the late individual arrives. At that time the late individual’s permits will be inspected. NOTE: Staff will not keep the draw room open any later than usual to accommodate a late member of a hunting party.

Extra Provision for “One Member Draws” All-Day Hunting Areas

In order to maximize opportunity and hunter participation, only one member of a party is required to arrive prior to official draw time, sign the waiting list, and participate in the drawing on OMD areas that have all-day hunting. However, the party member drawing must provide completed daily Waterfowl Hunting Tags for each hunter in their party.

Disabled-Accessible Hunting Blinds

Parties registered to hunt in disabled-accessible blinds may be processed as soon as possible so as to minimize crowding and confusion.

Party members registered to hunt a disabled-accessible blind are not eligible to participate in the One Member Draws procedure unless they first forfeit their disable-accessible blind reservation.

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